“Areyouinneedofhelp，Chief？“heaskedquietly。
“Allthegoodmenwecanget，“saidtheChiefcurtly。“ButfirstwemustgettheMayorhere。Sergeant，gethimonthephone。“
“Yougoforhim，Vic，“saidJack。
“Righto！“criedVic。“Butcountmeinonthis。“
InfifteenminutesVicwasbackwiththeMayor，helplesswithnervousexcitement。
“Getyourmenout，Chief！“heshouted，ashesprangfromthecar。
“Getthemoutquick，arrestthosedevilsandlock’emup！We’llshowthemathingortwo！Hurryup！Whatareyouwaitingfor？“
“Mr。Mayor，“Jack’sclear，firm，coolvoicearrestedtheMayor’sattention。“MayIsuggestthatyouswearinsomespecialconstables？TheChiefwillneedhelpandsomeofusherewouldbegladtoassist。“
“Yes！Yes！ForGod’ssake，hurryup！Here’stheclerk。Howdoyouswearthemin，clerk？“
“TheChiefofPolicehasallthenecessaryauthority。“
“Allright，Chief。Swearthem！Swearthem！Forheaven’ssake，swearthem！Here，you，Maitland——andyou，Maynard——andStillwell——“
Withcool，swiftefficiencybornofhisexperienceinthewar，theChiefwentonwithhisarrangements。Inhishandstheprocessofswearinginanumberofspecialconstableswasspeedilyaccomplished。
MeantimemanycarsandaconsiderablenumberofmenhadgatheredaboutthePoliceHeadquarters。
“Whatisthatlight？“criedtheMayorsuddenly，pointinginthedirectionofthefoundry。“It’safire！MyGod，Chief，doyouseethatfire？Hurryup！Whydon’tyouhurryup？Theywillburnthetowndown。“
“Allright，Mr。Mayor，“saidtheChief。“Weshallbethereinafewminutesnow。CaptainMaitland，“saidtheChief，“IwilltakethemenIhavewithme。Willyouswearinallyoucangetwithinthenextfifteenortwentyminutes，andreporttomeatthefoundry？Sergeant，youcomealongwithme！I’moff！“Sosaying，theChiefcommandeeredasmanycarsaswerenecessary，packedthemwiththemembersofhispoliceforceavailableandwiththespecialshehadsecured，andhurriedaway。
AftertheChiefhadretired，Jackstoodupinhiscar。“Anyofyouchapswanttogetintothis？“hesaid，addressingthecrowd。Hisvoicewascheeryandcool。Atonceadozenvoicesresponded。
“Righto！““Hereyouare！““Putmedown！“Inlessthanfifteenminutes，hehadsecuredbetweenfortyandfiftymen。
“Iwantallthesecars，“hesaid。“Getin，men。Holdon！“heshoutedatadriverwhohadthrowninhisclutch。“Letnomanmovewithoutorders！Anymandisobeyingorderswillbearrestedatonce！Rememberthatnogunsaretobeused，nomatterwhatprovocationmaybegiven。Evenifyouarefiredon，don’tfireinreturn！Doesanymanknowwherewecangetanythingintheshapeofclubs？“
“Hundredsofaxehandlesinourstore，“saidRupert。
“Rightyouare！Drivers，fallinline。Keepcloseup。Now，Mr。
Mayor，ifyouplease。“
ArmedwithaxehandlesfromStillwell&Son’sstore，theysetoffforthesceneofaction。Arrivedatthefoundrytheyfoundthemaddest，wildestconfusionragingalongthestreetinfrontofthefoundry，andinthefoundryyardwhichwascrowdedwithmen。Theboardfencealongthefrontofthegroundshadbeentorndownandusedasfagotstofirethefoundry，whichwasblazingmerrilyinadozenplaces。Everywhereabouttheblazingbuildingpartiesofmenlikehoundsonthetrailwerehuntingdownstrike-breakersand，onfindingthem，werebrutallybatteringthemintoinsensibility。
Drivinghiscarthroughthecrowd，MaitlandfoundhiswaytotheChief。Inafewshort，sharpsentences，theChiefexplainedhisplanofoperations。“Clearthestreetinfront，andholditso！
Thencomeandassistmeinclearingthisyard。“
“Allright，sir！“repliedMaitland，touchinghishatastoasuperiorofficer，and，wheelinghiscar，heledhismenbacktothethrongingstreet。
Meantime，theFireDepartmenthadarriveduponthescenewithacoupleofengines，ahosereelandotherfire-fightingapparatus，thefiremengreatlyhamperedintheiroperations。
Swinginghiscarbackthroughthecrowd，Maitlandmadehiswaytothestreet，andsettoworktoclearthespaceimmediatelyinfrontofthefoundry。Parkinghiscarsatoneendofthestreet，andforminghismenupinasingleline，hebeganslowlytopressbackthecrowd。Itwasslowanddifficultwork，forthecrowd，unabletorecognisehisununiformedspecialconstables，resentedtheirattack。
HecalledVictortohisside。“Getamanwithyou，“hesaid，“andbringuptwocarshere。“
“Comealong，Rupert，“criedVictor，seizingStillwell，andtogethertheydartedbacktowherethecarsstood。Mountingoneofthecars，Maitlandshoutedinaloudvoice:
“TheChiefofPolicewantsthisstreetcleared。Sogetback，please！Wedon’twishtohurtanyone。Now，getback！“Andlininguplevelwiththecars，thespecialconstablesagainbegantopressforward，usingtheiraxehandlesasbayonetsandseekingtoprodtheirwaythrough。
Highuponatelegraphpole，hisfootononeoftheclimbingspikes，wasamandirectingandencouragingtheattack。Ashedrewnear，MaitlanddiscoveredthismantobenootherthanTony，wildlyexcitedandvastlyenjoyinghimself。
“Comedown，Tony！“hesaid。“Hurryup！“
“Cheerio，Captain！“shoutedTony。“WhataboutFestubert？“
“Comedown，Tony，“saidMaitland，“andbequickaboutit！“
“Sorry，can’tdoit，Captain。Iamafixturehere。“
Likeacat，MaitlandswarmedupthepoleandcomingtoalevelwithTony，struckhimswiftlyandunexpectedlyasingleblow。ItcaughtTonyonthechin。Heswungofffromthepost，hungamoment，thendroppedquietlytotheground。Ashefell，awoman’sshriekrangoutfromthecrowdandtearingherwaythroughthelinecameAnnette，whoflungherselfuponherbrother。
“Hereyou，“saidJack，seizingacoupleofmenfromthecrowd，“getthismaninmycar。Now，Annette，“hecontinued，“don’tmakeafuss。Tonyisn’thurt。We’llsendhimquietlyhome。Nowthen，men，let’shavenononsense，“heshouted。“Iwantthisstreetcleared，andquick！“
Ashespoke，ahugemanranoutfromthecrowdand，withanoath，flunghimselfatMaitland。Butbeforehecamewithinstrikingdistance，anaxehandleflashedandthemanwentdownlikealog。
“Axehandles！“shoutedMaitland。“Butsteady，men！“
Overtheheadsoftheadvancingline，theaxehandlesswung，mendroppingbeforethemateverystep。Atoncethecrowdbeganahastyretreat，tillthepressureuponthebacklinesmadeitimpossibleforthoseinfronttoescape。Fromovertheheadsofthecrowdrocksbegantofly。Anumberofhisspecialswerewoundedandforamomenttheadvancehungfire。Downthroughthecrowdcameafireman，draggingwithhimahosepreparatorytogettingintoaction。
“Hello，there！“calledMaitland。Thefiremanlookedupathim。
Jacksprangdowntohisside。“Iwanttoclearthisstreet，“hesaid。“Youcandoitforme。“
“Well，Icantry，“saidthefiremanwithagrin，andturninghishosetowardthecrowd，gavethesignalforthewater，holdingthenozzleatanangleslightlyofftheperpendicular。Inaveryfewmomentsthecrowdintherearfoundthemselvesunderadelugeoffallingwater，andimmediatelytheytooktotheirheels，followedasrapidlyaspossiblebythoseinfront。Then，levellinghisnozzle，thefiremanproceededtowashbackfromeithersideofthestreetthosewhohadsoughtrefugethere，andbeforemanyminuteshadelapsed，thestreetwascleared，andincommandofMaitland’sspecials。
Leavingthestreetunderguard，MaitlandandhisspecialswenttothehelpoftheChief，whowashamperedmoreorlessbyHisWorship，theMayor，andveryconsiderablybyMr。McGinnis，whohadmeantimearrived，madwithrageanddemandingblood，andproceededtoclearupthefoundryyard，andrescuethestrike-breakerswhohadtakenrefugewithintheburningbuildingandinholesandcornersaboutthepremises。Itwasnolightmatter，butunderthepatient，good-naturedbutresolutedirectionoftheChief，theyfinallycompletedtheirjob，roundingupthestrike-breakersinacorneroftheyardanddrivingofftheirassailantstoasafedistance。
Thereremainedstillthemostdifficultpartoftheirtask。Thestrike-breakersmustbegottothePoliceHeadquarters，thenearestavailableplaceofsafety。For，onthestreetbeyondthewaterline，thecrowdwasstillwaitinginwrathfulmood。Thefoundrywasawreck，buteventhisdidnotsatisfythefuryofthestrikers，whichhadbeenexcitedbythepresenceofthestrike-
breakersimportedbyMcGinnis。Forthemoreseriouslyinjured，ambulanceswerecalled，andtheseweresafelygotoffunderpoliceguardtotheGeneralHospital。
TheChiefenteredintoconsultationwiththeMayor:
“Theonlysafeplacewithinreach，“hesaid，“isPoliceHeadquarters。
Andtheshortestandbestrouteisupthehilltotheleft。Butunfortunately，thatiswherethebigcrowdisgathered。Therearenotsomanyifwetaketheroutetotheright，butthatisalongerwayround。“
“Putthemeninyourcars，Chief，“saidMcGinnis，“andsmashyourwaythrough。Theycan’tstopyou。“
“Yes，andkilladozenorso，“saidtheChief。
“Whynot？Aren’ttheybreakingthelaw？“
“Oh，well，Mr。McGinnis，“saidtheChief，“itiseasytokillmen。
Thetroubleistheyarenousetoanybodyaftertheyaredead。No，wemusthavenokillingto-night。To-morrowwe’dbesorryforit。“
“Letusdriveupandseethem，“suggestedtheMayor。“Letmetalktotheboys。Theboysknowme。“
TheChiefdidnotappeartobegreatlyinlovewiththesuggestionoftheMayor。
“Well，“hesaid，“itwoulddonoharmtodriveupandhavealookatthem。We’llseehowtheyarefixed，anyway。Ithink，Mr。
McGinnis，youhadbetterremainonguardhere。TheMayorandCaptainMaitlandwillcomewithme。“
CommandeeringRupertandhiscar，theChieftookhispartyatamoderatepaceupthestreet，atthetopofwhichthecrowdstoodwaitingincompactmasses。IntothesemassesRupertrecklesslydrovehiscar。
“Steadythere，Stillwell，“warnedtheChief。“You’llhurtsomeone。“
“Hurtthem？“saidRupert。“Whatdoyouwant？“
“Certainlynottohurtanyone，“repliedtheChiefquietly。“Thefunctionofmypoliceforceistheprotectionofcitizens。Haltthere！“
TheChiefsteppedoutamongthestrikersandstoodintheglareoftheheadlights。
“Well，boys，“hesaidpleasantly，“don’tyouthinkitistimetogethome？Ithinkyouhavedoneenoughdamageto-nightalready。I
amgoingtogiveyouachancetogetaway。Wedon’twanttohurtanyoneandwedon’twanttohaveanyofyoudownforfiveyearsorso。“
ThentheMayorspokeup。“Men，thisisamostdisgracefulthing。
Mostdeplorable。Thinkofthestainuponthegoodnameofourfaircity。“
Howlsofderisiondrownedhisfurtherspeechforatime。
“Now，boys，“hecontinued，“can’tweendthisthingrighthere？
Whycan’tyoudispersequietlyandgotoyourhomes？Whatdoyouwanthere，anyway？“
“Scabs！“yelledavoice，followedbyasavageyellfromthecrowd。
“Men，“saidtheChiefsharply，“youknowme。Iwantthisstreetcleared。Ishallreturnhereinfiveminutesandanyoneseekingtostopmewilldosoathisownrisk。Ihaveahundredmendownthereandthistimetheywon’tgiveyouthesoftendoftheclub。“
“Wewantthemsulphurouslydescribedscabs，“yelledavoice。“Weain’tgoin’tokillthem，Chief。They’relousy。Wewanttogive’emabath。“Andasavageyelloflaughtergreetedtheremark。Oneveryhandthewordwastakenup:“Abath！Abath！Theriver！
Theriver！“Thesavagelaughterofthecrowdwasevenmorehorriblethantheirrage。
“Allright，boys。Wearecomingbackandwearegoingthrough。
Leavethisstreetclearortakeyourchances！It’suptoyou！“Sosaying，thecarwasturnedaboutandthepartyproceededbacktothefoundry。
“Whatareyougoingtodo，Chief？“inquiredtheMayoranxiously。
“Therearealotofsoldiersinthatcrowd，“saidtheChief。“I
don’tlikethelooksofthem。Theyaretoosteady。Ihatetosmashthroughthem。“
Arrivedatthefoundry，theChiefpacedupanddown，ponderinghisproblem。HecalledMaitlandtohisside。
“Howmanycarshavewehere，Maitland？“heinquired。
“Somefifteen，Ithink。Andtherearefiveorsixmoreparkeddownonthestreet。“
